Semiconductors are widely used in integrated circuits for a variety of electronic devices such as, e.g., smart phones, tablets as well as small and large scale (e.g., servers) computing devices. These integrated circuits typically combine many structures on a wafer to perform complex functions and store data. For example, these structures can be wiring structures, inductors, capacitors, transistors, etc. However, the need to integrate more functions onto a chip has caused the semiconductor industry to search for ways to shrink, or scale, the size of individual structures commonly integrated on a chip.
However, scaling devices to smaller dimensions can create a multitude of undesirable effects. One of these effects is an increase in the capacitive coupling between devices or to an underlying semiconductor substrate of a circuit, since the capacitive coupling is inversely proportional to the distance between the such devices or structures. This coupling may limit the ultimate speed of the device or otherwise inhibit proper device operation, if steps are not taken to reduce the coupling. The capacitance between conductors is also highly dependent on the insulator, or dielectric, used to separate the structures. Conventional semiconductor fabrication commonly employs silicon dioxide as a dielectric, which has a dielectric constant of about 3.9. However, such dielectric materials exhibit high capacitance coupling.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.